Hugo Chavez dead, says Guillermo Cochez.

A report by Guillermo Cochez, former Ambassador of Panama to the Organization of American States (OAS), claims President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez is dead. Chavez died five days ago after he was disconnected from life-support, on the orders of his daughters.

Guillermo Cochez

Cochez states he has confidential information that Hugo Chavez was in a vegetative state, and brain dead, since December 30 or 31, 2012. Chavez was returned to Caracas from Havana last week, because the authorities did not want to disconnect his life support in Cuba.

Cochez made his statements on Wednesday, while being interviewed on television in Colombia. Most news outlets have discredited his claims saying, “There are no other reports that back up this story.” They also point out that he has a grudge against Chavez.

These reports are wrong. First, sometimes holding a grudge is a badge of honor. I also have a grudge against Chavez; and Assad, and Gaddafi, and all other dictators. Second, there have indeed been other reports. People just chose to ignore them.

Here at theRevolutionCenter I wrote my own story Hugo Chavez is Dead on January 4, reporting what I had been hearing, while stating what I believed. I even showed a picture of Chavez in a coffin that had been circulating the internet, admitting at the time that it was probably Photoshopped. After today, I’m not so sure – about the Photoshopping that is.

Hugo Chavez with daughters

Cochez goes on to claim Chavez’s recent photos with his daughters were faked, since one of them had a nose job (rhinoplasty) about a year ago. She is seen in the photo, released by the government of Venezuela, with her old nose. Another irregularity he points to is that in the photo Chavez is heavier than he was before his final cancer operation in Cuba, performed December 11, 2012.

Cochez said,

“If I lie, let the Government of Venezuela simply show Chavez to everyone.”

The Cochez reports are believable.

I do not know whether any of Cochez’s statements are accurate. I do know that Venezuelan officials will never produce Chavez alive, aside from making false statements and false photos. I also know that they will continue to lie, up until the last moment when they can no longer get away with it. Finally, I know that they will never allow an independent autopsy, so the world will never know when or how Chavez died.

To those who dare accuse Cochez of making this all up, I present the following. On Saturday January 26 2013, after meeting with Chavez in Cuba, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said that the ailing president is now in his “best moment”. Given what has happened since, what Maduro has said in the past, and the countless times Chavez claimed he was cured of cancer, why would anyone believe anything from these pathological liars?

The answer to the above question is obvious. In the past, people were a lot less gullible. The boy who cried wolf, only did it three times.

Hugo Chavez reading newspaper

Cochez’s beliefs in many ways mirror those of my own. The first thought I had when I saw the pictures he spoke of was, “When were these photos actually taken, and whose hand is holding up that newspaper?” Since the picture does not link the hand to Chavez, I always assumed it was a fake. Most of the world fell for this proof. Given how it came from the mouths of proven liars, I was not one of them.

Hugo Chavez reading newspaper

Cochez’s major sin, while Ambassador of Panama to the OAS, is that he felt the OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, had capitulated to Venezuelan pressure. This capitulation came when the OAS declared Venezuela had the constitutional right to postpone Chavez’s inauguration. Imagine that! Once again, Cochez and I are in complete agreement. Cochez was having none of the OAS’s decision, but after criticizing them, the Panamanian government distanced themselves from his remarks. Under pressure themselves, they fired him from his post about five weeks ago.

Hugo Chavez Snubs his BFF, Evo Morales.

On February 19, Bolivian President Evo Morales, who claims Hugo Chavez as his best friend, went to Venezuela to visit. He left disappointed after being refused visitation rights. Even so, he stated at a United Nations press conference, February 20, 2013

“I wasn’t able to meet him. I was only able to meet the head doctor and his family, but my understanding is that they are very encouraged.”

Evo Morales

Yeah, right! Morales is either lying like the rest of them, or too naïve to be president. At any rate, he is another name on the long list of those supporting the myth that is Chavez.

Morales’ attempted visitation happened close to the time when Maduro and other officials claim they spent 5 hours in one day, joking and chatting in a meeting with Chavez. Of course, all this happened without a peep out of Chavez. Chavez had a tracheotomy and could not speak at the time. This information is the only thing about Chavez’s health that the world knows with absolute certainty.

While meeting with Chavez, Maduro and his pals discussed policy, devaluation of the Bolivar, Venezuelan affairs, and I would assume the utter destruction of their political rivals. They left this meeting in awe, having “fed off the strength of Chavez.” You could say it is a truly symbiotic relationship, but as Chavistas would say, and wish us all to accept,

“Move along now, there’s nothing to see here.”

The death of Hugo Chavez will lead to his rebirth.

Not since Woodrow Wilson has a President remained out of touch and out of sight for so long. However, Wilson was respected by most of the world whereas Chavez is seen as a dictator, or a clown. For the record, Wilson’s incapacitation in 1919 led directly to the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution. Venezuela’s hurried attempt at a solution led to even more confusion.

Has Venezuelan weeping and gnashing of teeth infected the world with a new brand of hysteria, or just morbid curiosity. Either way Chavistas continue to deny the truth. Their comical attempt at allowing a rotten vegetable to rule these past months makes as much sense as letting Maduro’s over-ripe arguments rule now.

Poor Venezuela, their immediate future is certain. Once again, Chavistas will turn their idolatrous worship into a joke repeated by comedians in all major nations. The real tragedy is those in Venezuela, who don’t support Chavez, are not laughing. In any case, Chavez has been reported dead numerous times, but just like Jesus he has always arisen.

Once final reports finally prove Hugo Chavez dead, Chavistas are going to up the ante. Their next contribution to the world is to insist that he was a saint and demand his canonization. I predicted this outcome February 4, 2013, in my piece Venezuela’s Succession – Not as it Seems.

The hardships in Venezuela will become worse as you say. Venezuela’s next president must contend with 14 years of Chavez mismanagement. The only part I regret is Chavez not being around to watch his people finally confront his failed policies.